Locking mechanism for dry-pipe valves



f 1,561,098 E; E. CLARK LOCKING MECHANISM FOR DRY PIPE VALVES Fi gl. 2\4 I W i ,j

Patented July 15, 1924.

1U NlTiD` S TAT ES EZRA E. CLARK, 0F NWTONVILLCE, MASSACHUSETTS;

LOCKING MECHANISM FOR DRY-PIPE VALVES.

Application A:filed J'uly 12, 1922. Serial. N0. 574,489.

To all whom t may. concern:

Be it known that I, EZRA E. CLARK, a citizen of the United States, andresident of Newtonville, county of Middlesex, State of h'lassachusetts,have invented an improvement in Locking Mechanisn'i for Dry-Pipe Valves,of which the following description, in Iconnection with the accompanyingdrawing, is .a specification, like characters on the drawingrepresentinglike parts.

This invention relates to improvements in dry pipe valves ofthetypewhich are employed in automatic sprinkler systems and whichinclude a water valve Vand an air valve so constructed-that the pressureof .air coniined in the sprinkler system will hold the water valveclosed againstthe pressure of the .waterin the `sup-ply pipes. v

Thesedry pipe valves are further so constructedthata lesser air pressurewill hold the water valve closed against ya greater pressure.

Dry pipe valves of this general character are provided with means forguiding the valve structure upon release of the air pressure, to aposition outside of the waterway so thatsthe water will flow freely fromthe Vsupplyfthrough the outlet of the casing and the connecting pipes tothe sprinkler heads.

It is desirable that meansshall be provided for positively lockingthevalves in open vposition so that they cannot be Vretu'rnedfto closedposition by a reverse iiow ofthe column yof water leading to thesprinkler heads in case the water supply entering the casing is divertedlby the opening of a second dry'pipe valve, or for any other reason.vThis has heretofore been vaccomplished by providing a latch carried bythe casing which engages the air val-ve.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a novelmeans for locking the valves in. openv position in -which the lock-ingmembersare carried respectively upon the valve structureand upon thelink mechanism .which supports and guides the valve intov open position.

A further objectv of the invention is to provide locking means whichwill be more readily accessible and, therefore, more easily releasedwhen it is desired .to restore the valvesto closed position.

Another objectvof the invention'is to provide a locking mechanism whichwill be more certain `and effective in operation than those heretoforeproduced` Another feature of the invention consists in providing anovel, readily detachable, pivotal connection between the supporting andguiding link or links and the valve to enable the valve to be detachedfor purposes of cleaning and removal.

Other objects and features of the invention will more fully appear fromthe following description and the accompanying drawings and will bepointed out particularly in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l illustrates in vertical longitudinal section a dry pipe valveembodying a preferred form of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view showing a preferred formv ofdetachable connection of the supportingv link to the valve structure;and, Y

Fig. 3 is a kdetail elevation of the shaft or pin of the detachableconnection 'illustrated in Fig. 2 and the means for locking the same inplace.

The present invention is illustrated herein as applied to the generaltype of dry pipe valve disclosed in my prior Patent No. 1,300,698,vgranted April 15, 1919.

The dry pipe valve construction illustrated comprises Va body portion orcasing 1 which is provided at its upper end with an outlet opening 2-adapted to be connected y to an automaticsplrinkler .system normallycontaining air under pressure. The lower end of the casing is providedwith an opening to be connected with the usual riser or pipe of thewater supply which is always under pressure. The openings 2 and 3preferably are in alinement so that asubstantially straight waterway isprovided through the casingfor the water which is forced therethroughupon unseating of the air and water valves by the release of a sprinklerhea-d and consequent reduction of -air pressure in the sprinkler system.

A covere-d hand hole 4 is provided. in one side of the 'casing throughwhich the valve structure may be inserted 'and assembled withinthecasingor removedftherefrom. A smaller opening -or hand holev havingla Vscrew threaded plug Gis provided to permit the machining of the airvalve seat.

In this preferred construction anv inlet conduit 7 extends well withinthe casing in alinement with the opening 2 and is provided with awatervalve seat 8 which pre-ferably is secured to the end of the inletconduit by a screw threaded connection, the valve seat preferably beingnormal to the axis of the inlet conduit. Y

The valve casing is provided with an air valve seat 9 of considerablylarger diameter than the water valve seat and which is inclined to theplane of the water valve seat.

The air valve and water valve "preferably are joined together in aunitary valve structure and function substantially as a unit in theiroperative movements.

As illustrated herein the water valve 10 is connected to the air valve11 by a stud 12 having an enlarged 'shouldered head 13 providedy with aconvex face which engages a complementary concaved face in a boss 14which extends upwardly from the central portion of the water valve 10. Acap or cover 15, which overlies the shouldered portion of the head 137is secured to the boss by a screw threaded connection. The cap 15desirably is provided with laterally extending projections 16 adapted tobe engaged by a keeper 17 to prevent the cap from rotation when onceproperly secured in place. Desirably there is a sufficient loose fitbetween the cap and the head 13 of the stud 12 to permit such movementof the water valve as may be necessary to cause it properly toseat. j

Suitable link mechanism is brovided to carry the valve structure7 whenthe valve is opened by release of the pressure of air upon the airvalve, to apposition outside of the waterway. rIhe link mechanismillustrated in the present construction comprises subj stantiallyparallel links, one of which is a U-shaped link 18 the lower ends ofwhich are preferably pivotally mounted upon studs 19 upon the portion 7of the casing forming the waterway. Extensions 2O of said U-shaped linkare pivotally connected by a stud 21 to a boss 22 extending downwardlyfrom the under side of the high portion of the valve '11. The U-shapedlink 13 ris so positioned that when the valve structure is swung to openposition the link will be removed from the waterway and will notobstruct the free flow of the water. .The lower portion of the air valve10 is provided with bosses 23 which carry a s shaft 24 upon which theupper end of a link 25 is pivotally mounted, the llower end of said linkbeing pivotally mounted upon a shaft 26 mounted in bosses 27 in thelower portion of the casing 1.

The shaft 24 desirably 1s retained in place by a locking device whichcan be readily removed to enable the shaft to be withdrawn and the valvestructure detached from the linkin order that the valve structure may beraised for the purpose of cleaning. A similar locking device may ifdesired be provided for the shaft 21 which connects the extension 2O ofthe link 18 to the valve structure so that the entire valve structurecan be readily assembled in and removed from the casing.

A preferred locking device is illustrated herein in Figs. 2 and 3. Inthis construction the shaft 24 is provided with a pin or key 28 whichextends into a recess in one of the lugs 23 of the valve structure. Theopposite end of the shaft is provided with a transverse slot 29 whichextends inwardly a sufficient distance to cause the end wall 30 of theslot to lie within the face of the lug 23 on the valve structure. A pin31 extends aero-ss the slot a short distance beyond the face of the lug23. A locking key 32 having a slot 33 extending longitudinally thereofis pivotally and slidably mounted upon the pin 31. The locking key 32desirably is ofthe same or a less width than the diameter of the bolt 24and may if desired be slightly wedge-shaped and provided with a beveledor rounded lower end 34^ which will permit it to be rotated about thepin 31 when raised from locking position.

In assembling the device the key 32 is raised and rotated about the pin31 until it is in axial alinement with the shaft, as illustrated indotted lines in Fig. 2. The shaft is then introduced through the bosses23 on the valve structure and the upper end of the link 25. Then thusintroduced the locking key is rotated into vertical position and Mforced downwardly into the position illustrated .in full lines in Fig. 2so that it rextends at right angles to the axis of the shaft with itsside preferably abutting against the lug 23. Then it is desired toremove the shaft 24 the locking key 32 may be raised and rotated aboutthe pin 31 until it is in axial alinement with the shaft 24 when theshaft can be readily withdrawn. Thus the loking key can be withdrawn andthe shaft removed manually without the use of tools. lnasmuch as thelocking key is fixedly secured to the shaft it will not becomedetached,misplaced or lost. By this construction a convenient meansI is providedforreleasing the link 25 to enable the valve structure to be raised forthe purpose of cleaning the valve seat. lf the shaft 21 is provided witha. similar locking device vthe entire valve structure can be readilyassembled in the casing` and removed therefrom.

The effective lengths of the link 25 and the link 18 with its extensions20 preferably are equal and a plane passing through the centers of theshafts 24 and 26 desirably is substantially parallel to a plane passingthrough the centers of the studs 19 and shaft 21 so that the links arein effect parallel links.

lVhen the air pressure to which the air valve 11 is subjected is reducedby the opening of the sprinkler head7 the pressure of :the Waterupon thewater valve will swing the Waterand` air valve structure yfrom its'closed position, which is illustrated'in'section, tofthe dotted` lineposition fillustr'ated in the drawing zijn vwhich position the valvestructure is entirely outside ofthe. waterway. "In'o'rder tosecurelylocktli'e valve structure in its open position "and prevent the possibility'of aback How of the column of water leading tothe Asprinklers reseatingthe valve, the present invention includes locking mechanism forpreventing relative movement between the valve structure and the linkmechanism. This locking mechanism desirably comprises co-operatinginterengaging members carried respectively by the valve structure andlink mechanism adapted to engage only when 'the valve is swungsubstantially to the open position and which when engaged will requiremanual operation to release the same.

In the preferred embodimentI of the invention illustrated a pawl ispivotally mounted upon a stud 36 which extends from a strengthening web37 which desirably eX- tends substantially diametrically across the airvalve. The pawl 35 desirably is provided with a tail 38 which will limitits movement 'by engagement with the back or upper face of the airvalve, and prevent placing the pawl in an inoperative position.

' The other end of the pawl is adapted to engage a suitable shoulderupon the link mechanism.

As illustrated herein the link 25 is provided with a projection 39having a shoulder 40 adapted to be engaged by the end il of 'the pawl 35when the valves are thrown. to

open position, illustrated in dotted lines. The end portion of the pawl35, however, desirably extends over and rests upon the curved uppersurface of the' projection 39 when the valves are in closed position.

In the operation of the device, therefore, the rotative movement of theprojection 39 about the axis of the shoulder 40, as the valve is swungfrom closed to open position, causes the shoulderv 4e() to pass beneathand beyond the end 4l of the pawl 35 so that the end of the pawl willdrop into alinement with the shoulder, as illustrated in dotted lines,and positively prevent the return movement of the valve.

In order again to reseat the valve it is necessary for the operator toremove the cover of the aperture 4 and lift the pawl out of engagementbefore restoring the valve to seated position.

It will be noted that the pawl is so positioned that it can be readilyreached in this manner and is more conveniently accessible to theoperator than in constructions heretofore produced.

It will be understood that the embodiment of the invention disclosedherein is of an lillustrative characterand is not restrictive and vthatvarious changes in form, construc- 1- ters Patent, is

l. A dry pipe valve comprising a casing having a'waterway therethrough'and provided wit'h a Water valve seat and an air valve seat, a valvestructure including an air valve and a Water valve, link mechanismconnecting said valve structure to said casing and acting upon unseatingof the valves to guide the valve structure to open position .outside ofthe waterway and locking members carried respectively by said linkmechanism and the movable valve structure arranged to engage when thevalves are swung to open position and thereby to prevent closing of saidvalves.

2. A dry pipe valve comprising a casing having a waterway therethroughand provided With a water valve seat and an air valve seat, a valvestructure including an air valve and a water valve, link mechanismconnecting` said valve structure to said casing and acting uponunseating of the valves to guide the valve structure to open positionoutside of the waterway and co-operating interengaging members carriedrespectively by the movable link mechanism and said valve structurearranged to engage When the valves are swung to open position andthereby to prevent closing of said valves.

3. A dry pipe valve comprising a casing having a waterway therethroughand provided with a Water valve seat 'and an air valve seat, a valvestructure including an air valve and a Water valve, link mechanismconnecting said valve structure toysaid casing and acting, uponunseating of the valves to guide the valve structure to open positionoutside of the waterway and locking mechanism including a shoulder onsaid link mechanism and a locking pawl pivotally mounted upon themovable valve structure operable to engage said shoulder when saidvalves are swung to open position and thereby to prevent closing of saidvalves.

4. A dry pipe valve comprising a casing having a Waterway therethroughand provided With a water valve seat and an air valve seat, a Watervalve and an air valve connected to form a unitary valve structure, thewater valve being' of less area than the air valve, a pair of linkspivotally connected at one end to said air valve and at the other end tosaid casing, a pawl pivotally mounted on said air valve and a shoulderupon one of said links positioned'to engage said pawl when the valvesare swung to open position and operable to prevent closing of saidvalves. i

5. A. dry pipe valve comprising` a easing having,` a waterwaytherethrough, a Water valve and an air Valve connected to form a unitaryValve structure, the Water valve be- 5 ing of less area than the airvalve, the planes of the differential Valves being oblique to eachother,seats for said valves, link me1nbers oli' equal length pivoted toprovidev a parallel link system n to carry the differ- 10 ential valvestructure and to guide the valve structure from seated to open position,a paWl pivotally mounted on said Valve strueture and a shoulder upon oneof said links positioned to be engaged by said pawl when said Valves areswung to open position and 15 thereby to prevent closing of said valves.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

EZRA E. CLARK.

